Ralph Fastenbüttl

I'll admit... this is LOADS more fun to watch than us in the Premier League.

Fuck's sake. Honestly, I thought we'd look good this half too. And, whisper it, even Baz had looked decent. But that was a shocker. Another shocker (tho not from Baz).

Wow. Not sure what 1st prize is, but you get it.

So many people on here are underestimating the size of the turnaround job that's needed. We've been one of the worst performing clubs IN THE COUNTRY for the best part of TWO YEARS now. And like it or not, we're now trying to reverse that decline by overhauling EVERYTHING - how the team plays, how we coach, how the business is operated. That's not a quick job. Immediate promotion can be hoped for, yes, but it's just not realistic to demand it outright. And honestly, I've had no emotional reaction to JWP leaving. Mostly because I've been ready for it since the 2-0 home loss to Brentford in mid-March, but also because he really isn't what a lot of folk are making him out to be. Was he the best we currently have? Yep. Is he a club legend? After 20 years of service and watching him develop into possibly the best free kick taker in the world, without a doubt! Is he in reality anything more than a mid table Premier League player? No. A top pro, and an amazing athlete, but also quite a limited player, all in all. West Ham and £30m sounds about right. I absolutely wish him the best and hope he goes on to achieve things that would not have been possible for him at Saints. Which gives him plenty of scope, let's be honest...

Lest we forget that just mere weeks ago we were all saying we'd be happy for every last one of them to be sold, such was our despair at relegation and the nature of our non-performances under three managers. I think it's odd that so many of our players are being bigged up by those same fans literally just a few weeks later and after one win over a very weak team. I really don't buy the argument that the club is selling the crown jewels because I'm not sure we have any, although I concede that JWP was undoubtedly one of the few talents we have/had. But he was never going to stay. Once we were relegated, of course he as going. Honestly it's just a shame it didn't happen at the start of the window to minimise the disruption.

Such was Diallo's "ability" that he could be adequately replaced with a pot of yoghurt.

Listen to them both and it should be pretty obvious.

So looking and the line-up, the nine senior players he mentions must be Macca, Bree, Perraud, Lyanco, Stu, Djenepo, Aribo, Tall Paul and Che. Seems unlikely he'd be talking about Mara as a senior. If only "some" of these players have no future at the club, I wonder who he feels delivered tonight? Because I couldn't pick a name. EDIT: Listening to the interview, he actually name drops Stu and Aribo as doing "great" but still struggling with fitness. Mara, on the other hand, is credited as doing OK but it's also said he needs to learn that you don't train to play one way and then go out on the pitch and play differently. The only glowing praise is reserved for Amo, Tyler and Doyle.

The amount of change that needs to occur at the club will likely result in a fairly rough first half of the season, I should imagine. However, I reckon it'll click in the end and after the winter window I reckon we'll be strong, so it'll come down to how much work we've left ourselves. Taking a wild stab in the dark, I'll say we miss the playoffs this season but hopefully get our act together for automatic promotion next season. Leicester to finish top.

And he's off. Gutted, both for us and for him because who on earth would want to cover Villa professionally? Massively tedious club, I've always thought.

I was raised in Basingstoke (Brighton Hill) and adopted Saints as I was surrounded by so many Saints supporters. It was easy for me to tag along with my mate and his dad to matches - I went to most home games around 1993-1997 so saw plenty of Le Tiss and the like before I then sodded off to university. Never went back to live in Basingstoke so have not been able to attend regularly since, sadly. Did manager to see Rickie net a few for us though. Thank fuck I didn't go to any games last season! My mates were an even split between Liverpool and Southampton so safe to say I chose... poorly! 😆

Really? It reads to me as a statement of commitment to the club. I admit that Che always puts in a shift and, unlike so many of them, he clearly cares. And perhaps with a proper striker next to him he may yet fulfil his potential. But I can't pretend I'd be gutted if he left. The number of chances he misses is maddening, somewhat undoing his strong support play.

I don't think there's really any evidence to suggest Ralph would have kept this squad up. I've got huge respect for the guy and all he accomplished with us. And I think he did well to keep us up last season - me may well have gone down under a lot of managers. But he was spent. Results and performances were both in the gutter and, by his own admission, he'd run out of ideas. He should have gone in the summer. This would have given whoever his replacement was more time to try and instill some sort of identity before the ticking relegation bomb robs you of that luxury.

A) What? B) They will

Dear god, so many options. I almost don't wanna say Baz 'cos it feels cruel on the lad but let's be honest - he's been diabolical. But AA can truly get fucked, total chancer. Ely can too very much do one. And we all give Che a pass 'cos he's our least shit striker, but if we're honest, he's still a pretty shit striker. Some of the sitters he missed this season were staggering.

Is it a 'football' chat as opposed to a 'mental conspiracy theory I heard from Le Tiss' chat?

Some pretty fucking poor decisions from Ruben tonight. I think the right sub strategy might actually have won us that match, astonishingly.

It's mad that the lad hasn't at least been rotated out and rested a bit, considering how he's so obviously struggled. I have no idea if there's a Premier League keeper somewhere inside him or not, but keeping him in the firing line the whole season behind our shoddy defense as his form continued to deteriorate may well have ruined the bloke. He should have spent another season learning and improving at a lower league club.

It'll be fucking Villa, won't it?

Surely if we've all learned anything by now, it's that there is no manager who can get what's needed so survive out of these players.

I disagree - I think we'll be back fairly swiftly, perhaps on our first or possibly second go, but I have serious doubts about our ability to assemble a squad that can compete sufficiently in the Prem.

Ah shit. I'm not normally one to give two monkeys about celeb deaths but this is very sad news. Motty seemed like a real gent who gave his life to the sport. Thanks for everything, John 👍

I just sighed so hard I pulled a muscle.

Am currently staring at the team sheet for the Chelsea game and feeling the positive vibes above draining away... Let's hope he does in fact know something none of us do. Like what crimes Orsic committed in a previous life.

Having watched the interview I find myself really rooting for Ruben today. He's a very likeable fella - it would be wonderful if it turns out he's got something about him. Go get 'em, lad!